The Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (SP1) package includes all previously publicly released updates for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. It is standard practice to include all of these updates in a Service Pack (SP). There are other updates in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 which have not been released as updates and therefore are not presented in this list.

Microsoft continuously collects feedback on Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 operating systems from its customers and partners. This feedback results in enhancements that help improve compatibility, reliability, performance, and user experience. These enhancements are typically made available in the form of regular updates delivered via Windows Update and, in some cases, the Microsoft Download Center.

All updates are then rolled-up, along with additional enhancements, into a single package called a Service Pack . By integrating these updates into a thoroughly tested single service pack, Microsoft aims to provide a single high-quality update that will minimize both deployment and testing complexity for customers.

Service Packs help ensure that your systems are up-to-date. Updates to the Windows operating system, including updates released with bulletins from the Microsoft Security Response Center, are only built for currently-supported service packs. Installing the latest service pack ensures customers have the maximum support lifecycle for their investment.

Service Pack 1 for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 will include previously released updates and will deliver a number of powerful new features for Windows Server 2008 R2 for virtualization and Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI).

New techniques in memory management with the addition of Dynamic Memory functionality, as well as the ability to deliver full-fidelity graphic experiences in remote and virtualized environments with Microsoft RemoteFX, enable organizations to realize the greatest possible potential from their infrastructure. The resulting increase in efficiency and functionality allows for accelerated server consolidation, a more powerful virtualized desktop infrastructure, and an increased return on technology investments.

The impact of SP1 on the Windows 7 client operating system is considered to be minimal. Included changes are expected to address minor usability issues in specific scenarios, as outlined in this document. Microsoft recommends that organizations do not need to wait for SP1 to begin receiving the value of Windows 7 today as we don’t anticipate the SP1 for Windows 7 to be substantial.

Service Pack 1 for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 represents Microsoft’s continuing commitment to quality. While many of the updates contained in SP1 are available as individual downloads, the integration of these updates in SP1 enhances the ease of deployment for IT administrators. This functionality, coupled with advanced new virtualization features such as Dynamic Memory and RemoteFX, demonstrates how SP1 will provide the ongoing improvements that customers and organizations alike have grown to expect from Microsoft.

Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 helps keep your PCs and servers on the latest support level, provides ongoing improvements to the Windows Operating System (OS), by including previous updates delivered over Windows Update as well as continuing incremental updates to the Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 platforms based on customer and partner feedback, and is easy for organizations to deploy a single set of updates.

Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 will help you:

* Keep your PCs supported and up-to-date * Get ongoing updates to the Windows 7 platform * Easily deploy cumulative updates at a single time * Meet your users' demands for greater business mobility * Provide a comprehensive set of virtualization innovations * Provide an easier Service Pack deployment model for better IT efficiency